Hardin, M'Roz, and Selman

It's that time of year again. Us old timers get our shot glasses ready, and a flack of whiskey for our year pilgrimage to Concordia Cemetery. The event? The 115th anniversary of the killing of John Wesley Hardin.

It was a trial that brought Hardin to El Paso in March 1895. While in prison, he had read law. After being released and pardoned in 1894, Hardin passed the bar exam and hung out his shingle in Gonzalez, Texas. After backing a losing candidate for Sheriff and a failed attempt of marriage to the 16 year old Callie Lewis, Hardin was at loose ends when his cousin wrote asking for help.

Jim Miller had been at odds with Reeves County Sheriff Bud Frazier since 1892. Frazier had once before attempted to gun Miller down in the street. Dec 26th, 1894 Frazier tried it again, emptying his six gun into Miller, and running when the wounded Miller begins firing back. Instead of hunting the man down and killing him out right, Miller decided to prosecute the charge of attempted murder ( actually in those days it was assault with intent to commit murder) In January, Miller's wife, Sallie Clements Miller, wrote to Hardin, asking his assistance in prosecuting the case. The party arrived on March 31st.

There already were a number of gunmen of reputation in town at the time. Jefferson Davis Milton had been confirmed as Chief of Police the previous November. Milton had been a Texas ranger, Customs rider, and Pullman conductor prior to being asked to become the Chief of Police. He had a reputation for bringing in even the hardest of crimminals if the wanted to, but would end the fight permenatly if they made the mistake of shooting at him. George Scarborough had arrived in El paso in 1893 to receive his appointment as Deputy U.S. Marshal. He rode on the posse ouot to clint to retrive the body of Capt Frank Jones, when the Rangers were ambushed by the Olguin brothers on the Island. He was another man that could shoot when the situation called for it. And there was the oldest one of the bunch, Constable John Selman.

Selman had served in an Alabama Regt during the war, deserting and serving in the home guard near Ft Davis until wars end. After a breif sojurn to New mexico territory, Selman set up a small ranch and farm near the Sodom and Gomorrah of the Old West, Ft Griffin, Texas. He teamed up with Sheriff John Larn and ran a successful rustling operation, as well as leading the local Vigilantes. Things got too hot, and Selman escaped to Lincoln County, while Larn was arrested by Rangers, only to be gunned down in his jail cell.

Selman participated at the tail end of the Lincoln County War, his Selman's Scouts committing more actrosities that the other factions combined. After Fleeing New Mexico, Selman set up a rustling operation near Ft Davis, Texas. When that was broken up, he fled to old Mexico, where he ranched, worked rail roads, and traveling saloons/ brothels. All charges in the US had been dropped by 1888, so Selman moved into El Paso. First he worked for the Smelter, the one we now know as ASARCO. After a stint as a bouncer at the Wigwam, and driving horses for Oliver Lee and Albert Fall, he ran for Constable in 1892, and won. Selman had a reputation as a killer, but not from the front. back shooting and in the dead of night were more in line with Selman's style.

The trial of Bud Frazier was a fizzle. With in 5 days the jury was hung, and a new trial set for the session in Colorado City. Miller and most of his party departed to settle their differences elsewhere. Hardin decided to remain in El Paso. A fateful decision. He hung his shingle out on the second floor of the 1st National Bank on the corner of El Paso and San Antonio streets. He had a few clients at first. According to folks that know abouot these things, Hardin was a competent attorney, as evidenced by the written briefs he left behind. The he received a buxom blonde client by the name of M'Roz, Beulah M'Roz to be exact.

Beulah's common law husband, Martin, was a Polish cowboy/ rustler. He had escaped into Mexico to dodge trial on cattle theft charges. With a $1000 reward on his head, the Mexican authorities cooperated and arrested Martin and held him in the Juarez carcel waiting extradition. Beulah needed an attorney to fight the extradition and to recover her money and valuables. Hardin took the case. He hired an attorney in Juarez to cover that end of the situation, and recovered her valuables and most the money. But romance was in the air. Beulah and her lawyer was getting pretty cozy, while Martin remained in jail.

Hardin managed to sell Beulah 1/2 interest in his autobiography, as Martin gained his freedom from the Juaerz jail. He was still wanted by the New Mexico authorities on charges of cattle theft. Matter of fact, New Mexico wanted him bad enough to place a $1000.00 reward for his arrest and return to Eddy County to stand trial. Now Deputy U.S. Marshal George Scarborough was a man who never met a reward he didn't like. He was reminded of a $1000.00 walking around free for the taking across the Rio Grande. Scarborough got the help of Jeff Milton and Frank McMahon and set out to collect that reward. June 29th, 1895 Scarborough convinced Martin to cross after dark so he could see his "beloved" Beulah. Milton and McMahon were waiting on the otherside. Seeing the lawmen, Martin went for the pistol in his pants pocket. The trio of lawmen fired a volley, and Martin went down. M'Roz wasn't finished, he raised up and attempted to fire again. again the trio fired. Martin rose up a third time, and a third time he was knocked down by gunfire. Martin M'Roz was dead. Unfortunately, the Territory of New Mexico's reward was only for Martin's arrest, and return for trial. It was not a Dead or Alive offer. Before the smoke had cleared there was already speculation. Many claimed that Scarborough lifted a sizable bank roll from Martins body. Supposedly he was to split that with Martin's attorney, Wes Hardin.

Selman seemed preoccupied with his "split" of this money, according to the George Look manuscript. It festered at his soul through July, and the start of August.The afternoon of August 19th, Selman and Hardin had a verbal altercation over his son, John Jr. Hardin claimed to be unarmed, but when get a gun, and force Selman to "..shit like a wolf...". Things simmered on

about 10:30 that night Hardin arrived at the Acme Saloon on San Antonio St. For a brief period, Hardin and Selman played a few hands of cards together. Selman left and returned several times. Just before 11:00 the night of August 19th, 1895 Hardin moved to the bar where he played dice with local grocer Harry Brown. Hardin had just thrown his dice when Sleman burst into the saloon, and fired his first round. The bullet his Hardin in the back of the head, exiting near the eyebrow. As the gunfighter lay on the floor, Selman pumped three more bullets into him. John Jr rushed in and spirited his father away.

Hardin would lay on the floor for over two hours as the population of El Paso trooped by to see the dead gunfighter.

--- More to Come---

Demise of Wes Hardin

As August draws on, we find that the month is almost as busy as April in El Paso's Old West Heritage.

In 1890, Fat Alice Abbott was feeling her age, and sold out her establishment on Utah St to Tillie Howard.Tillie had begun her career as a Caboose Girl at age 12, and had been working the business ever since. She immediatly establish a new standard of decor and elegance in El Paso's Reservation. By mid August, Gypsy Davenport had sold out to Tillie as well.

It was about this time in 1891 that Killin Jim Miller was appointed as Deputy Sheriff under Bud Frazier in Reeves County. This was the beginning of a feud between Miller and Fraziet that would bring them to El Paso in 1895.

Which brings me to my newest rant and rave. On the Leon Metz Show this morning, the guests were Melissa Sargent, and Patricia Kiddney and they wanted to talk the Demise of Hardin and the meeting of the Secret Hardin Society the 19th. It's a fun event, and a great fund raiser for the Concordia Heritage Association. In a way though, I do miss the bad old days when Bobby McNellis was still around.

It was a time when just us idiots would gather, come hell or high water, pour out a shot of whiskey, and toast Wes and his history. There'd be plenty of broken glass around the grave, and we'd head for home. Remember one year, it was a raining and a thundering, and there just four of us die hards out there in the pitch black night. In those days, it was advertised. Folks would just be there. of course the toast would be at 11:02, the approximate time Constable John Selman shot Hardin in the back of the head. Like I said that was back in the day.

Now these days there's a $5.oo admission, despite the order from El Paso County Commissioners Court ( hey they call it admission in their own press releases.) And once again, Ms Kiddney displayed just how shallow her history is. She has portrayed Helen Beulah M'Rose, Hardin's last paramour, for at least 10 years now. One would think she'd keep the details straight about Beulah's previous common law husband's death straight. Maybe I'm asking too much of someone attempting to portray historical figures.

Now my teachers, especially Guy Lafitte, always taught me, to do a first person impression, you have to have a depth of detail. One has to know the situation surrounding the Character, and the intimate details of the person. If you're portraying a gambler, good lord know the games the gambler dealt! If he was a gun man, have a decent knowledge of how to shoot. Iffn you're portraying a prostitute, know the details of the business. This especially true if you are accepting donations or money for your appearances.

Here in town, one of the best programs going seems to be the Living historians at the Magoffin Home Historic site. These folks know the house and the family inside and out. A visitor normally doesn't catch one of these folks off guard with unusual questions.

Well that's enough for one night. Keep your powder dry.


Special post coming up Thursday Night.

Jefferson Davis Milton

It was on this date in 1894 that Jeff Milton was appointed as Chief of Police here in El Paso, Texas. Liquor wholesaler Robt Johnson had been elected as Mayor on a Reform ticket. Determined to keep his campaign promises, Mayor Johnson needed a lawman that couldn't be bought to enforce the anti-gambling ordinances. That man was Jefferson Davis Milton.

The son of the Confederate Governor of Florida, Jeff Milton came to Texas as soon as he could. By the mid 1870's, he had reached the Ft Griffin area. Here he worked cows with George Scarborough, had a nodding acquaintance with John Selman, and possibly may have seen a young Wes Hardin before he left for Florida.

Lying about his age, Milton signed on as a Texas Ranger in 1880. He soon developed a solid record as a sturdy, dependable lawman. as J. Everrets Haley would put it, Jeff Milton was: "A good man with a gun." He'd give a man every opportunity to surrender himself peaceably. But if he made the mistake of firing a shot, all bets were off, Milton would finish the fight for good.

This is the reputation Milton brought to the job as Chief of Police. Matter of fact, John Selman had had his eye on the job, and promised to shove Milton's gun where the sun didn't shine, and :'Kick the handles off." When Milton braced the Constable about it, Selman passed it off as a joke rather than face the wiry lawman. When Wes Hardin, Jim Miller and company arrived in El Paso in march, 1895, Milton was one of two men most folks figured would kill the famous gunman. George Scarborough was the other.

After his removal from office in May 1895, Milton was appointed as a Deputy U.S. Marshall under Dick Ware. During his stay in El Paso, jeff Milton was involved in only one shooting, and it was a controversial one at that. Buut that's another story for another time.

Keep your Powder dry

A long Saturday

After getting some much needed house cleaning done, the Bucakaroo, Heidi and I headed down town for the Gunfight Tour. Had a bunch of folks say they were gonna show up. As usual, when you get 100 people confirm, you're lucky iffn 3 showed up. Today it was just the one. But a very enjoyable one Alejandro Lomeli and his son. We'd traded messages back and forth concerning historic photos he's found here and there. I was hopin' to get some new photos for the web site, but the Heidi had used up the batteries in the camera Friday night.

Now today is a special day in El Paso's Old West heritage. It was this date in 1856 that the first recorded gunfight occurred. Ben Dowell had just opened the first American style saloon the previous year. In September of 1858, William McElroy, Jack Gordon, and several other men had broke into the customs house and cracked the safe, stealing the horses from Dowell's corral on the way out of town. To make the story short, McElroy and Gordon showed up in San Elizario the evening of the 6th, claiming they were going to murder Dowell the next day. Forewarned, Ben Dowell was waiting for them the morning of August 7th, and gunned down McElroy as he entered the saloon. The full story can be found at First Recorded Gunfight OldWestElPaso.Com.

Because of the housework, I didn't catch Leon Metz this morning with Bernie Sargent, but I did catch the very tail end of the Freddie Morales Show. I heard he is going to have a Sunset Heights Mexican Revolution tour coming up, $5.00 a head. I'll call him this week and find oout the details.

As always feed back is encouraged. I want the web site to become a community project, not just my ranting and ravings, that's what the blog is for . There something you want to see up there, let me know. See something that could be better, drop me an e mail.

Until next time, keep you powder dry.

No Title Tonight

I was going to write a nice article about how the month of August was almost as bad as April when it came time for death in Old West El Paso. It was on todays' date in 1880 that John Woods was appointed as assistance City Marshal under John Tays. I haven't confirmed it, but best I could gather this makes him our first African-American police officer. There was other things I'd have liked to mention, but they seemed insignificant.

I looked at the calendar, and realized that it was this evening, two years ago that we lost a friend. The Friends of Ft Seldon had gone to Billy the Kid days up in Lincoln, NM. We wew packing up when Leroy Grizzell collapsed. That evening we lost one hell of a man, friend, mentor and father. I can't help but think, when I hear a clap of thunder, that Leroy is exercising a heavenly battery. Recently we also lost his daughter Annette. Heidi and my condolences and prayers go out to Rosalind, Steven, Billie and the rest of the family.